The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees was called to order at 4:30 p.m. by President Peg Giesler. In attendance were Trustees Mary Taylor, Mary Ann Tucker, Susan Punzelt, Amy McGilvrey, Sharon Farris, and Librarian Teresa Pennington. Absent: Trustees Jerry Cockcroft and Greg McHenry.

Book Committee:
Motion: Tucker, second Farris to approve 15 titles of nonfiction for purchase through the Lucy Bishop Fund. Motion carried.

House Committee:
*Pennington reported that the emergency elevator phone (required by state) was installed at a cost of $687 to run the wiring from the furnace room to the elevator, $400 to purchase the actual phone and install it in the elevator, and $66 for Verizon to connect the phone service.
*Art Reese will give an estimate for new fluorescent lights, light covers and installation in the original sections of the building.
*The downspout extension nearest the north door has been damaged again.
*Shanks Glass and Paint will install a new door closer for the single door between the old and new sections of the building downstairs.

Old Business:
The board saw the large screen TV and DVD/VHS player and cart, purchased with WalMart Foundation community grant money. The equipment will be used for library programs and is also available to organizations or groups using library meeting rooms.

New Business:
*Tucker and Farris were appointed to the Budget Committee.
The library is exploring the possibility of applying for a grant to replace five computers. This would be a matching grant, where the library would have to raise matching funds of $1950 by February 2010 and $2600 by February 2011.
*The library has hired new employee Debra Sims who will start Tuesday March 17, 2009. She will assume Children’s Librarian responsibilities at the start of the library’s new fiscal year, May 1, 2009, when Julie Eveland resigns her position as Children’s Librarian and starts part time.
*Pennington would like to apply for a grant called “Digital Imaging.” The grant awards from $5,000 to $25,000 to put “collections of significant interest” online. This is a federal grant administered through the state. Pennington will talk to the Edgar County Historical Society to see if they would like to partner with the library to digitize and add their photos to the library’s 6-volume set of books The Story of Paris and Edgar County by Phil Shutt. The library owns the only copy of Shutt’s books, and Pennington believes the photos and books together will be worthy of the grant.
*The library will not get its annual Per Capita Grant--this year $10,981.35—until June or later. Discussion about temporarily borrowing funds from another account to pay continuing expenses until grant check is received.
*Giesler reported the library is asking for donations of new or gently used DVDs to add to its collection.
*McGilvrey will research starting a Paris chapter of “The Big Read,” and organizing a concurrent book discussion.

Librarian’s Announcements:
Lincoln Trail Libraries System will upgrade Horizon on April 16 from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 12:00 p.m. During that time, our library will be unable to check in items, issue or renew library cards, make requests, process interlibrary loan items, accept payment of fines (or even know if there are outstanding fines). It will, however, be able to use the backup system to check out books. LINC will also be down during the upgrade.
*Pennington distributed an FYI sheet featuring articles from ALA and LTLS about a one-year stay of enforcement on testing for lead in children’s books.